We all know setting goals is important. The mere process of setting a goal alone has a positive effect on your mental state and in your daily life the results and rewards from completing the goal is all the more sweeter.

The first step is understanding what you want to do, when you want to do it by and why it motivates you.
Then, setting out a plan of action and getting to work is next.
Setting goals and having desires is often the easy part, but committing and following through are a bit more challenging but we both know it's worth it and if when you set a goal for something you actually want it'll be easier to follow through.
Use these tips to help set your next goal.

 

1. It has to matter to you.

If you're trying to accomplish a goal to satisfy someone else or it's not really something that's appealing to you chances are that you won’t put the necessary training or work into accomplishing the goal. Your full belief in your pursuit of your goal, that it's something you want and desire, will provide the fire that will help you fight to achieve the goal. It's got to really matter to you.

2. Reality check.

Where are you right now in comparison to where you want to be? If it’s a habit that you want to change, know how often you do it or don’t do it, by tracking your actions. If you want to get faster or stronger, make sure you record your current abilities so that you have a baseline and are aware of where you are.

3. Smaller goals pave the way.

Make daily, weekly and monthly lists of specific things that you will accomplish that will help you move closer to your overall goal.  You can always make changes to the list but as you accomplish your smaller goals, you’ll start to see how much closer your getting to your main goal and it'll fuel the fire even more. Post your lists and plans where you will regularly see them.

4. Delete in order to add.

More often than not we think about doing more of something. "I need to do more  _______ (fill in your blank)." We try to add things into our already busy schedules and lives. It's not always the best way to go about it. Try assessing if there's something we need to do less of. Want to get more energy to be able to workout more times per week? Take out watching TV until 11:30 PM a couple nights a week and get to sleep earlier. Take the time to understand your habits and know that it's not just about doing more of something. You may find everything to be better if you eliminate something that will help you improve and get closer to your goals.

5. Share it.

Share your goals with people who are involved with your life. When they know your goals you can lean on them for support, to help you stay on track and motivated. A support team can be great for accountability and to help you stay on track when you need it most.

6. Assess and reassess.

You'll only know if you're getting closer to achieving your goal if you stop to see how far you've come. Commit to assessing your progress throughout the journey. If you’re not seeing progress, you may need to break your goals down even further or tweak your training plan. Schedule dates that you will do assessments to see what's happening.

7. Train yourself to succeed

The words you say on a daily basis, body language you are using, and overall attitude have an impact on your goal. Even if the two are not related. Want to build lean muscle? The way you stand on a daily basis will help or hurt you accomplish that goal. Replace ‘I should' and ‘I have to’ with ‘I get to’ and ‘I will.’ It's normal to have times of feeling annoyance, stress and sadness. But you do not have to stay in those feelings. You don't live there. Train yourself so that you get pulled back to the place of strength, positivity and gratitude.